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"300", "submission_right_thumb_huge_noncustom_y": "300" } ], "description": "Something devastating is coming, and Colby must protect the ones he loves - whatever the cost.\n(Also on [url=https://archiveofourown.org/works/50201683/chapters/132910930]AO3[/url])\n\nEach chapter has its own \"soundtrack\"; these are completely optional to listen to, but I feel that these add to the experience as much of this story was partly inspired by music. Some songs are for specific scenes, and some are just there to add to the tone of the story. I claim no ownership of any of these songs.\n\nChapter 10, in order:\n\n‘The Last Good-Morning\n[url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gSf2I8shDDU]Love is Alive[/url] - Gwen Stefani, Blake Shelton\n\n‘Every Dog Has His Day’\n[url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IbksIz2gV4s]Hero[/url] - Grabbitz\n\n‘The Solemn Voyage’\n[url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yo9EZxNNX7s]Power Over Me (Acoustic)[/url] - Dermot Kennedy\n\n‘Unity, Duty, Destiny’\n[url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NR4SyQwXXrc]Chasing Cars[/url] - Ryan Waters Band\n\n‘The Strongest Dog I Know’\n[url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pjz1yU4dNm4]Rhubarb (Aphex Twin Cover)[/url] - Sheltered\n\n‘The Great Farm Upstate’\n[url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fkvZOvOeON0]#3[/url] - Aphex Twin\n\n‘A Great Day to Brie Alive’\n[url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQv4z5bWGVQ]Wasting Time[/url] - NEEDTOBREATHE, Old Dominion\n\n‘Marcus’s Eulogy’\n[url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TBJ3qiv7exg]Rest Of My Life[/url] - Nickel Creek\n\n‘A Secret Proposition’\n[url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0W12_oqeQgc]Overjoyed[/url] - Matchbox Twenty\n", "description_bbcode_parsed": "Something devastating is coming, and Colby must protect the ones he loves - whatever the cost.
(Also on AO3)

Each chapter has its own "soundtrack"; these are completely optional to listen to, but I feel that these add to the experience as much of this story was partly inspired by music. Some songs are for specific scenes, and some are just there to add to the tone of the story. I claim no ownership of any of these songs.

Chapter 10, in order:

‘The Last Good-Morning
Love is Alive - Gwen Stefani, Blake Shelton

‘Every Dog Has His Day’
Hero - Grabbitz

‘The Solemn Voyage’
Power Over Me (Acoustic) - Dermot Kennedy

‘Unity, Duty, Destiny’
Chasing Cars - Ryan Waters Band

‘The Strongest Dog I Know’
Rhubarb (Aphex Twin Cover) - Sheltered

‘The Great Farm Upstate’
#3 - Aphex Twin

‘A Great Day to Brie Alive’
Wasting Time - NEEDTOBREATHE, Old Dominion

‘Marcus’s Eulogy’
Rest Of My Life - Nickel Creek

‘A Secret Proposition’
Overjoyed - Matchbox Twenty
", "writing": " “Pooches! Breakfast is ready!”\n\n The mouth-watering scent of pawcakes, bacon, and eggs filled the kitchen as Colby arranged his wife and son’s plates on the table on one particularly beautiful morning. For his son, he’d arranged the food to look like a happy chicken; for his wife, he made her breakfast look like a peaceful windmill. They weren’t artistic masterpieces by any means, but Colby was still rather proud of what he’d made for them nonetheless. \n He ran his fingers across his jaw, idly scratching at the short patch of brown fur on his chin he’d grown that resembled a beard. Three years had passed since he’d married Smooch and officially became a part of her family, and Colby had quickly taken to the role of being a house-husband. With Smooch at work and Scooch often off having adventures with Tag, Colby simply spent most of his free time at home to make sure the house was spotless and dinner was ready for when his family returned. He occasionally found himself feeling a bit lonely all by himself in this house while he waited for them to come home, but he tried to make the best of it by keeping himself busy. In a way, it was actually somewhat therapeutic for him to simply take care of the cooking and cleaning at home, and he was more than happy to take the heavy chore load off of Scooch so he could simply have fun being a pup while he still could. All in all, Colby couldn’t ask for a better life. \n Though, if he were being honest, the only thing that he still wanted deep down was a puppy. Even after three years of patiently bringing it up with Smooch, she had still unfortunately turned him down every single time. She kept insisting that she would be ready ‘someday’; but after three years of trying, Colby eventually began to wonder. With Smooch being 44 years old now, they were likely running out of time to [i]ever[/i] have a puppy together. And if that were the case…\n Colby shook those negative thoughts away, not wanting to feel selfish or ungrateful for this life. He had Smooch as his loving wife, and Scooch as his step-son; for Colby, that was more than enough. And even if he never got to have a child of his own with Smooch, then he’d surely find a way to live with it…\n\n Wouldn’t he?\n\n Smooch and Scooch soon emerged from their rooms, entering the kitchen to each greet Colby with an affectionate hug before taking their seats at the table. \n “Aw, this is a wonderful breakfast, Colby, thank you,” Smooch said with a yawn as she made note of the windmill art that her husband had made for her before leaning down and taking a delicate bite out of it.\n “Yeah, thanks for the awesome pawcakes, Dad!” Scooch added before hungrily chowing down on his own breakfast. Even after three years, Colby’s heart still swelled with sentimental pride whenever Scooch called him that word. \n Colby took a seat at the table with his own plate food, leaning down and biting into it like the dog he was. As he glanced up to Smooch and Scooch, he felt nothing but overwhelming love for both of them. He thought about how, without them, he’d likely be the same miserable and lonely dog he was when he first arrived in Pawston. How, with the unconditional love they’d given him, his life was worth living again.\n Then, out of nowhere, Colby winced in pain as he was hit with a massive migraine.\n “Colby? You alri-” Smooch began to speak as she noticed Colby holding his head in his paw, but was interrupted when there was a sudden frantic knocking on the front door as the doorbell repeatedly rang. “Now who could [i]that[/i] be?”\n For some reason he couldn’t fully comprehend yet, Colby had the foreboding sense that something terrible was about to happen today. \n Scooch was the first to get up to answer the door, and was immediately met with Tag’s loud weeping and against his shoulder as she knelt down to hug him tighter than she had ever hugged him before.\n “Tag? What’s wrong?” Scooch asked, feeling deeply concerned. He’d never seen his usually happy and energetic friend cry quite like this before. “Did something happen?”\n “Scooch…” Tag finally spoke amid shuddered breaths as she wiped the tears on her face. “Th-there’s not much time left. There’s a… a…”\n “A what?” Scooch chuckled nervously in denial as Smooch and Colby came to his side, hoping Tag was just being overly dramatic about some Race Cadet thing. However, his laughter immediately stopped when he noticed the rest of the Barkers standing behind Tag; their faces looked pale and bleak.\n “There’s a… meteor coming,” Tag finally whimpered, her tears returning. \n The Pooches simply stood speechless in the doorway, feeling their blood run cold at the news. Colby’s brow furrowed as he silently looked down, already deep in thought.\n “So… we evacuate,” Smooch finally spoke, resting her paws on her hips as she tried to remain calm and think of a plan of action. “Warn everyone in town. Right?”\n “It’s not going to destroy [i]just[/i] Pawston, Mrs. Pooch.” Tag wiped her eyes again, but the tears wouldn’t stop coming. “My brother Spike said this is… [i]extinction[/i]-level.”\n Colby looked down at his wife and son, already knowing what had to be done. He just hoped he would be strong enough to pull it off.\n “Do you know where it’s going to hit, Tag?” he asked the little orange beagador gently, kneeling down to her level and wiping her wet cheek with his thumb.\n “...Ball Island, Scooch and I went there once. It’s close, only about a hundred miles out from Pawston Beach.”\n “Perfect. Then that’s where I’m going,” Colby stated with determination as he stood again, as though his mind were already made up. \n “[i][b]What?[/b][/i] Colby, are you [i]insane?[/i]” Smooch protested in shock. “Why would you even think of going [i]to[/i] the meteor?!”\n “Listen.” The yellow Labrador gently rested his paw on the blue terrier’s back, trying to calm her. “I… I might be able to stop it.” \n Everyone stared at him with their mouths agape, completely speechless. He turned to the Barkers as he continued.\n “Smooch has known this for a long time, but I’ve never told anyone else. I’m… from another world. Another universe entirely.”\n Scooch and the Barkers only blinked for a moment in stunned confusion until Colby went on. \n “Do y’all remember that day of ‘The Blink’, about four years ago? That was me. It’s a long story of how I got here, but to put it simply… there’s a lot more to me than what I might appear.” He held up his palm, and neon green plasma began to crackle and zap weakly between his four canine fingers. “I used to have power. [i]Unfathomable[/i] power. But that was a long time ago, and most of it is gone now. I can’t make any promises or guarantees that I can stop this meteor, but…”\n Colby looked at his wife and son. \n “...I still have a little fight left in me. I have to try.”\n “...No.” Smooch shook her head in objection as she turned to Colby, picking up Scooch and holding him against her chest as she began to angrily cry. “No, I won’t accept this, Colby. I won’t… you can’t just make a decision like that all on your own!”\n “Mom…” Scooch said sympathetically as he wrapped his little arms around her neck, feeling his mom’s wet tears landing on top of his head. \n “There has to be another way… there just [i]has[/i] to…” Smooch leaned against Colby as she quietly sobbed, with Scooch pressed tightly between the two. \n “What other options do we have here, Smooch?” Colby placed his paw on her back, stroking his fingers through her fur. He hated nothing more than seeing her cry. “You heard Tag. We’re running out of time, and fast. If there’s [i]any[/i] chance I can do something to protect you, to protect my family… then I’m going to take it. Without hesitation.”\n Scooch slipped out from his parents’ arms, returning to his best friend. \n “Tag, maybe this is selfish of me, but… if the world is really gonna end, then… I really wanna be with you for it. Maybe Colby can stop it, maybe he can’t, but… will you come with us?”\n As Tag looked back at Scooch, she knew there was no way she could say no to him. She expectantly looked back at her parents for their blessing.\n “We’ll [i]all[/i] come with you.” Maw nodded as she wiped her eyes. “You Pooches are like family to us.”\n “There’s no one else I’d rather be with, Scooch,” Tag replied as he looked back to her best friend, giving him a hug as she began to cry into her chest. “At the end of our story.”\n “And if this is really the end,” Paw somberly, placed his paw on Colby’s shoulder. “then we’ll all face it together.”\n As Paw said this, Colby then noticed that someone was curiously absent.\n “Where’s Cheddar Biscuit?” he asked. “I have a plan, but I need her for this to work.”\n “Oh, she moved out a few months ago now,” Grandmaw Marge spoke up. “She’s been living with Gerald the maildog in his home out on Mutt Mountain, just outside of town.”\n “Then we don’t have any time to waste,” Colby said as his and Smooch’s eyes met. \n “Let’s go, dogs, go.”\n\n Once they caught Cheddar and Gerald up on the urgent situation, the Barkers and the Pooches were soon cruising on a large speedboat at a breakneck speed on the vast blue ocean towards Ball Island.\n “...I still don’t accept this.” Smooch let out a sigh as she looked over the ocean as she stood beside Colby. Tag was keeping Scooch preoccupied, so they had a moment alone. “Riskin’ yer life like this. I won’t stand for it. If I lose you… I think I’d rather the whole world end.”\n “Smooch…” Colby rested his paw on his wife’s. “Do you want to know what my birthday wish was? On that first birthday party you threw for me after we started dating?”\n Smooch looked back into her husband’s vibrant emerald eyes. \n “Not sure why you’re bringin’ this up [i]now[/i] of all times, but… fine, what was it?”\t\n Colby looked out over the ocean as well, feeling the warm salty air rushing past his face. “My wish was to always be able to protect you and Scooch. For the rest of my life.”\n Smooch said nothing, but her fingers interlocking into his said everything she wanted to. \n Colby turned back to her, resting his paws under her chin before lifting her head up to look down into her sullen eyes. \n “I’ve failed so many times to protect the ones I love. I won’t go through that again. I can’t. So no matter how short my life might be, I’ll always protect you. Even if it kills me.” \n “Don’t you talk like that, Colby.” Smooch scowled at him. “You [i]will[/i] save the day. And you [i]will[/i] live to see tomorrow. I know you will. ‘Cause I. Know. [i]Everythin’.”[/i]\n “Does that mean I have your permission, then?”\n Smooch was silent again. In her heart, she knew there was nothing she could do or say that would change Colby’s mind on this. She just had to have faith in him. To believe he could do it. To believe that he would survive this. It was all she [i]could[/i] do. \n “Think about it, Smooch. If you had to choose between losing me, or losing [i]everything,[/i] including Scooch, which would it be?” Colby asked, \n “I’d… I’d say… oh, don’t make me choose!” Smooch’s lip trembled as she buried her face in Colby’s chest and sobbed into his fur, holding her tightly in his arms. When she’d woken up this morning, she never could have imagined that today would’ve turned out quite like this.\n Colby returned the gesture, tilting her head up and giving her a kiss. He savored it now more than ever, knowing full well it might be one of the last times he’d ever get to taste her sweet lips.\n\n Some time later, the boat slid onto the sandy shore of the island. Just as everyone had gotten out of the boat, they saw a space capsule parachuting down into the ocean, with a familiar red dog parachuting towards them as well. \n “Spike made it,” Paw noted somberly. Although everyone was relieved the whole family could be together, they wished it weren’t under such dire circumstances as this. \n “Cheddar Biscuit, you brought the clown-cannon like I asked, right?” Colby turned to her once everyone was present. \n “Of course,’ Cheddar responded as she pulled it out from behind her back. “But you never really explained what we need this for.”\n “...I need you to launch me at the meteor.”\n Cheddar gasped, as did everyone else. \n “Back in my prime, I would’ve been able to fly up there myself,” Colby continued, “but it’s been years, and I know my power isn’t as strong as it used to be, so I need some momentum to go up into the stratosphere. Otherwise… I doubt any of you would survive the heat even if the meteor [i]doesn’t[/i] hit the ground.” \n “Colby…” Smooch held her husband’s paws in her own. \n “Don’t try to stop me, Smooch. Please.” Colby gave her a kiss on the forehead. “I [i]need[/i] to do this. If I don’t… you know what’ll happen.”\n “I was just going to say that… I believe in you.” Smooch leaned up, kissing him on the lips.\n “So do I.” Scooch nodded.\n “We [i]all[/i] believe in you.” Tag went up to Colby, giving him a supportive hug from the side. One by one, the rest of the Barkers joined in as well. They embraced together as one, in the calm before the storm.\n\n Some time had passed as they waited for the meteor’s imminent arrival, with Spike keeping a close eye on his scanner with the countdown until impact. The waiting felt like it took both forever and an instant at the same time. Hours soon became minutes. Colby looked up at the sky, finally able to see the bright light of the meteor as it approached Earth. \n “Time to face the music.”\n The cannon was aimed, and Colby was ready - but no one else was. They could only watch as their doom got progressively bigger and brighter in the sky. It was a very surreal, yet terrifying experience for all of them. \n “...I can’t lose you, Colby!” Smooch cried as she held tightly onto her husband as her emotions got the better of her. “I just [i]can’t!”[/i]\n “I’ll try to survive this, believe me. Just know that no matter what happens, I love you.” Colby rubbed her back lovingly as they embraced. “But if I don’t make it back… you have to promise me you’ll keep living. Even if I can’t be by your side, I need you to keep on going. Go, dog. Go.”\n Smooch shed a tear, reluctantly nodding. In her heart, she knew that he was right. She still had Scooch to take care of, after all. But with everything happening so fast, she began to feel certain regrets welling up inside her. But it was too late for second chances now; she’d hesitated for far too long, and now she felt like in a matter of hours, everything was being taken away from her. \n Suddenly, Colby felt someone tightly hugging his leg. He looked down to see Scooch was heaving heavily as he struggled not to cry.\n “Hey now, c’mon, buddy.” Colby felt his chest trembling at the sound of Scooch’s muffled cries. “Don’t… don’t cry. Remember what I said? Everyone has a destiny. And if this is mine, then-”\n [i]“Screw[/i] destiny!” Scooch sobbed, never wanting to let go. “I don’t care about any of that stupid stuff! I just want my dad!”\n “Listen, Scooch,” Colby wiped his own tears as he pet his son’s head. “You gotta be a brave boy, okay? I know you can do it. You’re gonna do great things someday, and I’m always so proud of everything you do. You make me smile every day. Just know that no matter what happens, I’ll never stop loving you. Okay?”\n Scooch’s tears still ran down his cheeks like waterfalls, but he finally nodded reluctantly. \n “It’s now or never, Colby!” Spike interrupted as he called out from nearby, showing him the scanner’s countdown getting lower.\n Colby gently pulled his son away and got into the cannon, taking one last look at his family.\n “I love you,” Smooch said as her shuddered breath deepened, a feeling in the pit of her gut that like this would be the last time she would ever see him. She stood on her tiptoes and rested her paws on Colby’s shoulders, giving him one final kiss goodbye as Cheddar held the pull-cord in one hand.\n “I love you too. I love you both so much.” Colby replied once their kiss had broken. With one last look at her and Scooch, and a nod to Cheddar Biscuit, he disappeared into the cannon. \n After several deep breaths, Cheddar tightly clenched her tear-filled eyes and yanked hard on the string.\n\n Colby fired straight-upwards out of the cannon towards the fiery meteor that was now entering the Earth’s outer atmosphere, accompanied by the loud honk of a party horn and a blast of rainbow confetti.\n Smooch looked up as Colby disappeared into the sky, leaving her behind.\n\n “...Go.”\n\n Now, all anyone could do was wait together. In a matter of minutes, the world could very well end. They could feel the temperature getting noticeably warmer as the meteor neared Earth, the massive burning rock in the sky now too intensely bright to look at directly.\n “Tag,” Scooch turned to his best friend, hugging her tightly. “I know the world is ending, and I really wish I’d told you this sooner, but I just want you to know that I… I… I love you!”\n “I love you too, Scooch!” Tag hugged him back, pressing her lips against his in a sweet but tearful kiss as the sky brightened above them.\n Everyone gathered around them, all embracing each other as one big family as they braced themselves for the end. \n\n Now having gained the momentum he needed, Colby raised his left fist as he charged his plasma energy up throughout his whole body at full strength. He couldn’t afford to spare a single ounce of power. Rather than getting slower by the pull of gravity as he gained more altitude, Colby was actually flying up faster. And faster. And [i]faster[/i]. Until finally, he shot up high into the sky at incredible speed in a bolt of neon green lightning. \n\n “For a world of Unity…”\n\n The many wonderful memories Colby had made with Smooch, Scooch, and all the other dogs of Pawston he’d gotten to know over the years flashed through his mind as the sky turned a deep orange. He had no regrets. To Colby, there were few better ways to go than this - to redeem the failures of his past by giving his loved ones a future they deserved.\n\n “It is my Duty…”\n\n The meteor eclipsed the sun entirely as it now entered the stratosphere, burning up all the clouds in the sky in a fraction of a second. Colby pulled his left arm back with all his might, using the gathered energy to propel his right arm forward with a firm fist enveloped in a powerful surge of blindingly-bright green plasma. This was the end. \n His swan song. \n\n “TO FACE… MY… [b]DESTINY![/b][b]”[/b]\n\n Time seemed to stand perfectly still for a brief moment as Colby’s fist met the burning meteor, making an impact of [i]unquantifiable[/i] energy. In a matter of milliseconds, a massive forcefield rippled shockwaves of an entire prism of colors across the entire hemisphere at the point of impact. \n In truth, Colby’s strength alone would not have been enough. Under normal circumstances, the meteor [i]should[/i] have completely overwhelmed him, obliterating the Earth and ending all life on it. But, as was common with Colby - or rather, Marcus Colburn - these were not normal circumstances. Fortunately, something strange and mysterious had happened at that exact moment; someone, both very far away yet also in the exact same place, had synchronized so perfectly with Colby that the energy in his DNA had been amplified [i]ten-thousand[/i] fold. \n And so, the meteor was successfully launched back into the far reaches of space with a deafening boom that could be heard all across the planet, never to be seen again. The immense blast of the meteor’s deflection shot Colby back down to the Earth far below, and the ocean waves around Ball Island shook as the massive surge of two powerful colliding forces made landfall. \n As his vision faded while he looked up at the bright blue sky, the dog from another universe smiled weakly. Against all odds, he had actually done it. He had successfully stopped the end of the world. But more importantly, he had protected his family.\n\n [i]‘Goodbye, Pooches… thank you…’[/i]\n\n Below, the Barkers and the Pooches slowly stood up with shaky knees after the shockwave had knocked them to the ground. Though they were overjoyed the world was safe, there was no time to celebrate.\n “Colby!” Scooch pointed upwards, noticing he was quickly free-falling from the sky towards them. “Everyone, we gotta catch him!”\n The dogs all gathered in a circle as they looked up, reaching their arms out and catching his fall. \n As they gently set him to the ground, their hearts all broke into pieces as it was clear that Smooch’s worst nightmare was coming true. \n\n Colby was dying. \n\n His entire right arm was burnt to a furless and blackened crisp. The brown hair on his head was singed, his nose was severely dry and cracked like a desert, and the folds of his floppy ears had all but melted off completely. Tiny jolts of green plasma sparked weakly around his body, getting smaller with each passing second until they dissipated entirely. The glow of the green light in his tag slowly pulsed, as if it signified his weakening heartbeat. His breathing was harsh and raspy as he inhaled in a vain attempt to get any oxygen to his fried lungs. Colby’s once vibrant green eyes were now a completely cloudy and lifeless gray as he was nearly blind, though he could still just barely make out the silhouettes of familiar dogs as they gathered around him and their muffled voices as they spoke.\n “Colby, don’t leave me! Hang on!” The yellow Labrador barely heard Smooch cry out. Even through the strong smell of his own charred flesh, he’d recognize her unmistakably sweet scent anywhere.\n “You’re so… beautiful… you know…?” Colby whispered as he weakly raised his good arm, cupping his palm gently against his wife’s wet cheek.\n “We need to get him to the hospital NOW!” Smooch looked up at the rest of her family in desperation. Colby shook his head slightly, though it caused him great pain.\n “Don’t… no time…” he strained his raspy voice between breaths. “Just… be with me… for a while…”\n Smooch broke down and cried. To spare the younger pups the trauma of what was inevitably coming, Cheddar and Gerald took Yip, Tag, and Scooch away from the horrible scene as she tried to hide tears of her own.\n “Let me go! That’s my Dad!” Scooch cried out, breaking free from Cheddar’s paw as he ran back to his father’s side. \n “I love you, Dad… you can’t die…” the little blue terrier mumbled through his sobs, wishing there was something, [i]anything[/i] he could do to save his father.\n “I… love you… too… Scooch…”\n “You’re not [i]allowed[/i] to die, Colby… y’hear me?” Smooch wept hysterically as her future of happiness was falling to ruins before her very eyes for the second time in her life. “I still need you. [i]Scooch[/i] needs you.”\n “Scooch… will be… okay…” Colby swallowed, his dry lips curling in one last smile, the light in his tag flickering as it weakened. “You both… will. He has the best… most loving mom… in the universe…”\n “Colby, no… stop…” \n As she wept, Colby could feel Smooch’s salty tears dripping on his muzzle. \n “Don’t you cry, please… don’t cry anymore…” His voice got softer and slower as he wiped a drop off her cheek with his thumb. “You’re… the strongest… dog… I know…”\n Colby’s arm fell limp, and his neon green tag light faded to black. In his final moments of life, Colby could hear the ones he loved crying out in anguish. \n But then, for a few short moments, Colby felt an intense flood of heavenly euphoria completely envelop him as a white light enshrouded his entire being. It was a peaceful sense of pure bliss and pleasure unlike any experienced by mortal kind, accompanied by a sound that resembled a beautifully harmonized chord of otherworldly music. \n\n Then, Colby opened his eyes.\n\n He took a deep breath in and sat up in a meadow surrounded by a thick and ethereal fog. His pain was completely gone. As he looked around, he saw the edge of a corn field, a slowly-rotating windmill, several free-roaming chickens, and…\n Himself.\n It was like looking into a mirror, and yet Colby could tell that this was no mere reflection. This Colby before him still had no facial hair, as he now did. And while his movements were similar to his own, there were several moments where they deviated from one another.\n He held his paw up to the Colby copy, their palms touching lightly. \n “You’re not me,” they both said simultaneously. “And yet, you are…”\n “Ho-lee [i]shit!”[/i] \n They suddenly heard an unfamiliar voice, his thick southern twang breaking through the serene stillness around them. \n “I tell ya, you boys sure put on quite the show down there! Shoot, y’all really packed a wallop on that crusty ol’ boulder!”\n “Sorry, do I know you…?” the other Colby asked as they both stood up together. \n “Well, no, [i]you[/i] don’t,” the source of the voice, a blue terrier with a thick blue handlebar mustache, responded back to him before looking expectantly at Colby Pooch.\n “Y-you’re… Kernel,” Colby said, now realizing where he was.\n “Sure am! Nice to finally meet’cha, Colby, it’s an honor. Though I wish it were under… better circumstances.” Kernel shook his paw enthusiastically. “Now that I think of it, addressing the both of you’s gonna get real confusin’ real quick, so how’s about I just call you ‘Colby’, and the other you ‘Barker’?”\n The other Colby nodded in understanding. \n Colby, however, was slightly confused as he turned to his copy.\n “‘Barker’?”\n “I ‘spose there’s lots to explain. But we got all the time in the world now, don’t we?” Kernel smiled as he turned away and headed in the other direction. “Come, walk with me for a while.”\n Seeing as they had nowhere else to go, the Colbys followed.\n\n “By the way, you boys want some pie?” Kernel asked as he held out a tray with a half-eaten pie in it, its gooey red innards looking like something out of a grotesque horror movie. “Don’t worry, it’s [i]rhubarb.”[/i]\n “I’m good, thanks,” the Colbys answered without much hesitation.\n “Suit yerselves,” Kernel shrugged as he dug a fork into it, biting off a big piece. “Y’know, I’ll admit though, I do kinda like this fork idea o’ yers. Makes eatin’ less messy.”\n “Wait… so, that cornfield… the rhubarb patch where Smooch and I first… was that… [i]you?”[/i] Colby asked.\n Kernel raised an eyebrow and grinned coyly.\n “Well, can ya blame me fer lookin’ out fer my gal? What can I say, I like to send her little signs from time to time. I been watchin’ you fer a long time, Colby. And I jus’ wanna say, yer a good boy. I’m glad Smooch finally found someone, and I’m even gladder that someone is you.” \nColby sniffled proudly with a bittersweet smile as he finally got Kernel’s blessing. \n “Smooch?” the other yellow Labrador turned and asked Colby. “That’s Sergeant Pooch, right? You ended up with her?”\n “Yeah, of course. Wait, Kernel called you ‘Barker’. Does that mean…?”\n “I was taken in by the Barker family. Been married to Cheddar Biscuit for a little over three years now.” Colby Barker replied. “Which feels a little weird in a way because I’m her husband, but also basically her adoptive brother…”\n “Huh, well I’ll be…” Colby Pooch chuckled softly. “Congratulations.”\n [i]‘Is [/i][b][i]that[/i][/b][i] why Cheddar used to feel that way about me?’ [/i]he thought. [i]‘[/i][i]Why she[/i][i] [/i][i]had[/i][i] those dreams about me?’[/i]\n “I should explain,” Kernel interrupted, seemingly knowing just what Colby was thinking. “Y’all have been experiencin’ somethin’ I like to call ‘multiversal bleedover’. Those headaches you’ve been gettin’, those ‘deja-vu’ feelin’s outta nowhere, it’s ‘cause yer universes are so dang close that when yer experiencin’ similar sitchy’ations or whatnot, it’s like you two are bumpin’ noggin’s without even knowin’ it! And it’s also why, even with impossibly [i]astronomical[/i] odds, your Earths were both gonna get toasted by the same hunk o’ space rock.”\n “I... g-guess that makes sense, sort of. But how do you even know all this in the first place?” Colby Barker asked.\n “Well, I do got a lotta free time in the aether. And souls ain’t exactly got the same Earthly limitations, physically-speakin’,” Kernel answered. “In fact, ever since you came to town, you got me so intrigued that I’ve been checkin’ out other realities every now and again. Includin’ [i]yours.”[/i]\n Both Colby’s paused.\n “Now that you mention it, my family… my mom… where are they?” Colby Pooch asked. “N-not that I’m not happy to meet [i]you[/i] or anything, I just thought that… I dunno, being the afterlife… I thought I might get to see them again.”\n “Well, as fer yer mom… I reckon she’s around, somewhere.” Kernel looked up, to nowhere in particular. “But I also reckon there’s about seven [i]octillion[/i] copies of ya now, give or take. And she can only be in so many places at once, y’know. But just know, she’s always watchin’ over [i]some[/i] version of you. Because yer her boy, and she loves you.”\n Both Colby’s smiled, feeling reassured but still wishing they could see her again.\n “And what about… [i]my[/i] family?” they asked together. \n Kernel put his paws on his hips and exhaled. \n “Well, the thing about that is… see, yer old family…”\n Colby and Colby quickly grew more anxious the longer Kernel hesitated.\n “...they’re [i]alive,[/i] son.”\n The two of them were speechless, for a moment left in sheer disbelief at the news. \n Kernel cleared his throat, continuing on.\n “See, I looked into some thangs. And as it turns out, when you brought every universe back, you were able to bring your family back too. So they’re safe and happy back in your old world, with the original you. They may not be with the ‘Colby’ you, but they’re off livin’ happily ever after with the ‘Marcus’ you. Am I makin’ any sense here?”\n The Colbys fell to their knees.\n “I’m so… [i]so[/i] happy to hear that,” they said together with tearful smiles. “Thank you, Kernel. I can rest easy now, knowing they’re alive and happy.”\n “Hm, but what about [i]you?”[/i] Kernel asked them, gesturing to the fog around them. “Now you’re both here, at ‘the great farm upstate’.”\n The two looked around for a moment, but looked surprisingly content. \n “I’ll admit, I really wish I could’ve gotten to see Scooch grow up. He’s such a great kid, and I was really looking forward to raising him. Being there for his wedding someday. Seeing my grandkids for the first time.” Colby Pooch sighed. “But… in the end, I don’t regret a single thing. I know he’ll be okay without me eventually, he’s tough. Just like his mom.”\n “Just like his mom. Couldn’t’a said it better myself.” Kernel smirked, resting his large paw on Colby’s shoulder. “That’s a real good answer.”\n “I think I’m gonna miss Brie’s laugh the most,” Colby Barker somberly wiped a tear from his eye. “She’s always so adorable, and just as funny as her mom. But I do hope Cheddar Biscuit finds love again, someday… Brie deserves a dad, even if it can’t be me.”\n “‘Brie’? You have a daughter?” Colby Pooch turned and asked, admittedly feeling a bit jealous.\n “Yeah, she’s the light of my-”\n Just then, a little green paw-print appeared on Colby Barker’s chest and began to glow brightly. Both Colbys let out a stunned gasp at the strange occurrence; Kernel seemed unsurprised, but said nothing as he watched the scene before him with a smirk. \n “...life.”\n “Hey, w-what’s goin’ on with your chest, there?” Colby Pooch asked as he pointed at the marking.\n “I’m not sure. But I… I think I feel… something.” Colby Barker pressed his fingers to the paw-print, feeling a familiar presence. “It’s Brie. I-I think something’s happening. I’m seeing some kind of static. Holy shit, I feel… [i]alive.[/i]”\n Colby Barker’s eyes widened as he said this, his presence distorting and stuttering like an old television signal as he continued.\n “I think she’s… [i]reviving[/i] me, somehow. She must have inherited my- [i]our[/i] plasma powers. I don’t know how, but she might be transferring some energy to me or something.”\n “I didn’t think we could even [i]do[/i] that, are you sure?” Colby Pooch asked, somewhat doubtful.\n “I don’t know, but it’s the best guess I have. I don’t know any more than you do.” Colby Barker shrugged.\n “Well, then… I’m… I’m happy for you, Barker.” Colby smiled outwardly, though on the inside he was heartbroken. If only he’d gotten to have a child with Smooch too, he might’ve been given another chance at life as well. \n “...Touch me,” Colby Barker said suddenly, holding out his paw.\n [i]“What?”[/i] Colby Pooch asked, visibly confused.\n “Touch palms with me. Just think about it for a second, we’re plasma-based, right? Like what lightning bolts are made out of. Maybe if we make contact, I can transfer some of Brie’s energy to you like an electrical current. You might be able to go back too.”\n “We don’t know if that’ll work.”\n “Come on, you’re already [i]dead.[/i] What do you have to lose by trying?” Colby Barker scowled. “Don’t you want to see the Pooches again?”\n “More than anything.”\n “Then just [i]try.[/i] And do it fast, I don’t- think I have much time- before I go back.” The other Colby stumbled dizzily, his soul drifting between two planes of existence. “I can feel- my body healing.”\n Colby Pooch hesitated for a moment before finally - and firmly - pressing his palm against Colby Barker’s, feeling a chill coursing down his spine as a jolt of energy surged through his soul like a thunderstrike. In it, he could feel the comforting warmth and pure, wholesome love of Brie Barker - his daughter from another universe, one he could never meet. \n “I can feel it... she really, truly loves you.” Colby Pooch couldn’t help but cry as he was overwhelmed with the strength of their bond. He felt it so vividly, as though he’d experienced every moment of raising Brie himself. With each passing second, he could feel himself feeling more ‘alive’, just like Colby Barker had described. \n “Hey Colby, would ya mind given’ our wife and son a little message from me when you get back?” Kernel asked, chuckling without even waiting for a response. “Tell Scooch that no matter what he does in life, I am so, [i]so[/i] proud of him. I always will be. And tell Smooch…tell her that ‘the answer is blowin’ in the wind’. She’ll know what it means.”\n “I’ll tell ‘em, you have my word.” Colby replied. \n “Oh, by the way, boys,” Kernel interjected while he still had the time. “A quick word o’ wisdom before you head on back home. Go out and see the world while you can! Stick yer head outta that car, and really let your tongue flap in the wind! There ain’t nothin’ like it!”\n Both Colbys nodded, taking his words to heart.\n “Thank you for everything, Kernel,” Colby Pooch said. “I’ll always do my best to honor your memory.”\n “I know you will. But don’t forget to honor yourself too, y’know. Don’t be afraid to leave this dusty old dog in the past where he belongs.” Kernel waved. “I’m sure we’ll meet again someday, but I better not see ya fer another 70 years, at [i]least![/i] Oh, and one last thang you always gotta remember!”\n Colby Pooch and Colby Barker were quickly fading away, but not before they heard Kernel’s final words echoing loudly in their heads as they drifted back to their own worlds. \n [i]“GO, DOG! GO!”[/i]\n\n And so it was that Brie Barker had saved not just one Colby that day, but two.\n\n Colby Pooch suddenly loudly gagged and coughed just before he sat up, taking a deep breath in as if it were his first breath of life. Everyone was still mourning some distance away as they couldn’t bear to be near his body, but they turned to the sudden noise, hardly believing their eyes.\n [i]‘...Am I…?’[/i]\n “Colby? COLBY!” Smooch rushed through the sandy beach back to her husband with Scooch running past her, practically throwing herself onto him with their son sandwiched happily between them. \n “Dad!”\n “How’re you-? Oh, I don’t care ‘bout the how or why, you’re [i]alive!”[/i] Smooch blubbered through her tears of joy as she smothered Colby’s face with kisses.\n The Barkers quickly joined in on the hug as well, as soon they were a huge dogpile all affectionately smothering Colby as he tried to regain his breath. Before long, his breaths turned into laughs, and soon they were all laughing with joy. \n\n [i]‘I am alive. I’m really [/i][b][i]alive.’[/i][/b]\n\n It was quite some time before everyone finally gave the Pooches some room to finally breathe. As they watched the golden sun signaling the end of another day as it set over the peaceful ocean horizon, Colby looked down at his healed right paw. He had never been so happy to see that furred paw in all his life as a dog. \n “I wanna go somewhere with you both.”\n “You mean like a road-trip?” Scooch looked up at his dad inquisitively.\n “[i]Exactly[/i] like a road-trip. A [i]long[/i] one. Anywhere. Everywhere. I wanna see it all. Everything this world has to offer.” Colby looked down at his son and smiled.\n “I would ‘go dog go’ [i]anywhere[/i] with you, Colby.” Smooch leaned in and gave him a kiss. “You know that. Always and forever, ‘til the end of the world.”\n “Yeah, that sounds awesome!” Scooch added excitedly.\n Colby looked back over the horizon. He reached for his triangular dog tag hanging from the collar around his neck, rubbing its surface back and forth between his fingers.\n Colby felt the cold metal edges of the as he was deep in thought. He yanked the tag off, looking long and hard at the symbol he held in his paw. The memento of his past.\n As he looked at it, he noticed that the green light it usually emitted was still completely dark. Considering it for a moment, he held out his other paw and tried his hardest to activate his plasma energy. A small crackle, a tiny spark, [i]something.[/i]\n Nothing. His powers were completely gone, never to return.\n Then, Colby smiled with absolute relief.\n He pulled his arm back and threw his tag far into the ocean. It sank into the depths below and was lost forever, carrying Colby's message for destiny:\n\n [i]'Find someone else next time.'[/i]\n\n Smooch looked at him with her mouth open as she was about to say something, but stopped herself when she saw the serene look on Colby’s face. He was finally at peace, ready to leave his past behind him for good. Instead, they stood together in silence for the wordless eulogy of his former life. \n Colby wrapped his arm around Smooch’s waist, sighing with content as he looked back to the horizon of endless possibilities. He thought about how his entire life had led him to here and now.\n “Oh, by the way, Kernel wanted me to tell you something.” Colby finally broke the silence. \n “Kernel?!” Smooch nearly fainted when Colby brought this up out of nowhere.\n “Y-yeah, I met him. Good dog. Anyway, Scooch,” Colby turned to his son. “Your dad Kernel wanted me to tell you that no matter what you do in life, he will always be proud of you. He loves you so much, and he’s always watching over you.”\n Scooch sniffled and hugged Colby’s leg. \n “And Smooch…” Colby continued, turning to her. “Kernel told me to tell you that… ‘the answer is blowin’ in the wind’. He said you’d know what it means?”\n “Oh…” Smooch began to tear up. “Yep, that sounds like him alright. Let me guess, he also gave you this whole road trip idea?”\n “Yeah, how’d you-”\n “Kernel always talked about wanting to travel. Said I should take the Ol’ Yellers on tour, but I was too afraid to. I was too in my own comfort zone. In his final days, Kernel told me he wanted his… remains… to be spread out all over the country. But you’ve seen the urn on the shelf. All this time, I was still just too afraid to let him go. But now, with everythin’ that’s just happened… I think he’s right. It’s time to let go.”\n “I’ll be with you every step of the way, Smooch,” Colby smiled gently as he wrapped his paw around her lower back in support.\n “I know you will, and I love you fer that, Colby. You’ve never once given up on me.”\n Smooch suddenly remembered something from their wedding night, three years ago. \n [i]‘Please, don’t stop askin’ me for a puppy. I know I want one with you someday. Just… wait for me. Don’t stop trying. Don’t give up on me.’[/i]\n “...Colby?”\n “Yeah, Smooch?” Colby asked, tilting his head.\n Then, not wanting Scooch to hear, Smooch lifted up Colby’s ear and very quietly whispered something into it. As she pulled away, Colby’s cheeks immediately turned a bright shade of red.\n “Wait, really? Are you sure? Even now?” he asked.\n “Well not [i]now[/i] now, but y’know… tonight.” Smooch couldn’t help but blush a little too at the idea. “And tomorrow night. And every night after that, until I am. Let’s try. I’m ready. I should’a been ready a long time ago.” \n “Ready for what?” Scooch asked, looking up at the in confusion as he felt like he was being left out of some kind of important secret.\n “N-nothing, don’t worry about it, buddy...” Colby replied to his son with a light chuckle before giving Smooch a tender smooch on the lips. How sweet it was to taste those lips of hers once more.\n\n “All you need to know is that from now on... everything’s gonna be okay.”", "writing_bbcode_parsed": "            “Pooches! Breakfast is ready!”

            The mouth-watering scent of pawcakes, bacon, and eggs filled the kitchen as Colby arranged his wife and son’s plates on the table on one particularly beautiful morning. For his son, he’d arranged the food to look like a happy chicken; for his wife, he made her breakfast look like a peaceful windmill. They weren’t artistic masterpieces by any means, but Colby was still rather proud of what he’d made for them nonetheless.
            He ran his fingers across his jaw, idly scratching at the short patch of brown fur on his chin he’d grown that resembled a beard. Three years had passed since he’d married Smooch and officially became a part of her family, and Colby had quickly taken to the role of being a house-husband. With Smooch at work and Scooch often off having adventures with Tag, Colby simply spent most of his free time at home to make sure the house was spotless and dinner was ready for when his family returned. He occasionally found himself feeling a bit lonely all by himself in this house while he waited for them to come home, but he tried to make the best of it by keeping himself busy. In a way, it was actually somewhat therapeutic for him to simply take care of the cooking and cleaning at home, and he was more than happy to take the heavy chore load off of Scooch so he could simply have fun being a pup while he still could. All in all, Colby couldn’t ask for a better life.
            Though, if he were being honest, the only thing that he still wanted deep down was a puppy. Even after three years of patiently bringing it up with Smooch, she had still unfortunately turned him down every single time. She kept insisting that she would be ready ‘someday’; but after three years of trying, Colby eventually began to wonder. With Smooch being 44 years old now, they were likely running out of time to ever have a puppy together. And if that were the case…
            Colby shook those negative thoughts away, not wanting to feel selfish or ungrateful for this life. He had Smooch as his loving wife, and Scooch as his step-son; for Colby, that was more than enough. And even if he never got to have a child of his own with Smooch, then he’d surely find a way to live with it…

            Wouldn’t he?

            Smooch and Scooch soon emerged from their rooms, entering the kitchen to each greet Colby with an affectionate hug before taking their seats at the table.
            “Aw, this is a wonderful breakfast, Colby, thank you,” Smooch said with a yawn as she made note of the windmill art that her husband had made for her before leaning down and taking a delicate bite out of it.
            “Yeah, thanks for the awesome pawcakes, Dad!” Scooch added before hungrily chowing down on his own breakfast. Even after three years, Colby’s heart still swelled with sentimental pride whenever Scooch called him that word.
            Colby took a seat at the table with his own plate food, leaning down and biting into it like the dog he was. As he glanced up to Smooch and Scooch, he felt nothing but overwhelming love for both of them. He thought about how, without them, he’d likely be the same miserable and lonely dog he was when he first arrived in Pawston. How, with the unconditional love they’d given him, his life was worth living again.
            Then, out of nowhere, Colby winced in pain as he was hit with a massive migraine.
            “Colby? You alri-” Smooch began to speak as she noticed Colby holding his head in his paw, but was interrupted when there was a sudden frantic knocking on the front door as the doorbell repeatedly rang. “Now who could that be?”
            For some reason he couldn’t fully comprehend yet, Colby had the foreboding sense that something terrible was about to happen today.
            Scooch was the first to get up to answer the door, and was immediately met with Tag’s loud weeping and against his shoulder as she knelt down to hug him tighter than she had ever hugged him before.
            “Tag? What’s wrong?” Scooch asked, feeling deeply concerned. He’d never seen his usually happy and energetic friend cry quite like this before. “Did something happen?”
            “Scooch…” Tag finally spoke amid shuddered breaths as she wiped the tears on her face. “Th-there’s not much time left. There’s a… a…”
            “A what?” Scooch chuckled nervously in denial as Smooch and Colby came to his side, hoping Tag was just being overly dramatic about some Race Cadet thing. However, his laughter immediately stopped when he noticed the rest of the Barkers standing behind Tag; their faces looked pale and bleak.
            “There’s a… meteor coming,” Tag finally whimpered, her tears returning.
            The Pooches simply stood speechless in the doorway, feeling their blood run cold at the news. Colby’s brow furrowed as he silently looked down, already deep in thought.
            “So… we evacuate,” Smooch finally spoke, resting her paws on her hips as she tried to remain calm and think of a plan of action. “Warn everyone in town. Right?”
            “It’s not going to destroy just Pawston, Mrs. Pooch.” Tag wiped her eyes again, but the tears wouldn’t stop coming. “My brother Spike said this is… extinction-level.”
            Colby looked down at his wife and son, already knowing what had to be done. He just hoped he would be strong enough to pull it off.
            “Do you know where it’s going to hit, Tag?” he asked the little orange beagador gently, kneeling down to her level and wiping her wet cheek with his thumb.
            “...Ball Island, Scooch and I went there once. It’s close, only about a hundred miles out from Pawston Beach.”
            “Perfect. Then that’s where I’m going,” Colby stated with determination as he stood again, as though his mind were already made up.
            “What? Colby, are you insane?” Smooch protested in shock. “Why would you even think of going to the meteor?!”
            “Listen.” The yellow Labrador gently rested his paw on the blue terrier’s back, trying to calm her. “I… I might be able to stop it.”
            Everyone stared at him with their mouths agape, completely speechless. He turned to the Barkers as he continued.
            “Smooch has known this for a long time, but I’ve never told anyone else. I’m… from another world. Another universe entirely.”
            Scooch and the Barkers only blinked for a moment in stunned confusion until Colby went on.
            “Do y’all remember that day of ‘The Blink’, about four years ago? That was me. It’s a long story of how I got here, but to put it simply… there’s a lot more to me than what I might appear.” He held up his palm, and neon green plasma began to crackle and zap weakly between his four canine fingers. “I used to have power. Unfathomable power. But that was a long time ago, and most of it is gone now. I can’t make any promises or guarantees that I can stop this meteor, but…”
            Colby looked at his wife and son.
            “...I still have a little fight left in me. I have to try.”
            “...No.” Smooch shook her head in objection as she turned to Colby, picking up Scooch and holding him against her chest as she began to angrily cry. “No, I won’t accept this, Colby. I won’t… you can’t just make a decision like that all on your own!”
            “Mom…” Scooch said sympathetically as he wrapped his little arms around her neck, feeling his mom’s wet tears landing on top of his head.
            “There has to be another way… there just has to…” Smooch leaned against Colby as she quietly sobbed, with Scooch pressed tightly between the two.
            “What other options do we have here, Smooch?” Colby placed his paw on her back, stroking his fingers through her fur. He hated nothing more than seeing her cry. “You heard Tag. We’re running out of time, and fast. If there’s any chance I can do something to protect you, to protect my family… then I’m going to take it. Without hesitation.”
            Scooch slipped out from his parents’ arms, returning to his best friend.
            “Tag, maybe this is selfish of me, but… if the world is really gonna end, then… I really wanna be with you for it. Maybe Colby can stop it, maybe he can’t, but… will you come with us?”
            As Tag looked back at Scooch, she knew there was no way she could say no to him. She expectantly looked back at her parents for their blessing.
            “We’ll all come with you.” Maw nodded as she wiped her eyes. “You Pooches are like family to us.”
            “There’s no one else I’d rather be with, Scooch,” Tag replied as he looked back to her best friend, giving him a hug as she began to cry into her chest. “At the end of our story.”
            “And if this is really the end,” Paw somberly, placed his paw on Colby’s shoulder. “then we’ll all face it together.”
            As Paw said this, Colby then noticed that someone was curiously absent.
            “Where’s Cheddar Biscuit?” he asked. “I have a plan, but I need her for this to work.”
            “Oh, she moved out a few months ago now,” Grandmaw Marge spoke up. “She’s been living with Gerald the maildog in his home out on Mutt Mountain, just outside of town.”
            “Then we don’t have any time to waste,” Colby said as his and Smooch’s eyes met.
            “Let’s go, dogs, go.”

            Once they caught Cheddar and Gerald up on the urgent situation, the Barkers and the Pooches were soon cruising on a large speedboat at a breakneck speed on the vast blue ocean towards Ball Island.
            “...I still don’t accept this.” Smooch let out a sigh as she looked over the ocean as she stood beside Colby. Tag was keeping Scooch preoccupied, so they had a moment alone. “Riskin’ yer life like this. I won’t stand for it. If I lose you… I think I’d rather the whole world end.”
            “Smooch…” Colby rested his paw on his wife’s. “Do you want to know what my birthday wish was? On that first birthday party you threw for me after we started dating?”
            Smooch looked back into her husband’s vibrant emerald eyes.
            “Not sure why you’re bringin’ this up now of all times, but… fine, what was it?”\t
            Colby looked out over the ocean as well, feeling the warm salty air rushing past his face. “My wish was to always be able to protect you and Scooch. For the rest of my life.”
            Smooch said nothing, but her fingers interlocking into his said everything she wanted to.
            Colby turned back to her, resting his paws under her chin before lifting her head up to look down into her sullen eyes.
            “I’ve failed so many times to protect the ones I love. I won’t go through that again. I can’t. So no matter how short my life might be, I’ll always protect you. Even if it kills me.”
            “Don’t you talk like that, Colby.” Smooch scowled at him. “You will save the day. And you will live to see tomorrow. I know you will. ‘Cause I. Know. Everythin’.”
            “Does that mean I have your permission, then?”
            Smooch was silent again. In her heart, she knew there was nothing she could do or say that would change Colby’s mind on this. She just had to have faith in him. To believe he could do it. To believe that he would survive this. It was all she could do.
            “Think about it, Smooch. If you had to choose between losing me, or losing everything, including Scooch, which would it be?” Colby asked,
            “I’d… I’d say… oh, don’t make me choose!” Smooch’s lip trembled as she buried her face in Colby’s chest and sobbed into his fur, holding her tightly in his arms. When she’d woken up this morning, she never could have imagined that today would’ve turned out quite like this.
            Colby returned the gesture, tilting her head up and giving her a kiss. He savored it now more than ever, knowing full well it might be one of the last times he’d ever get to taste her sweet lips.

            Some time later, the boat slid onto the sandy shore of the island. Just as everyone had gotten out of the boat, they saw a space capsule parachuting down into the ocean, with a familiar red dog parachuting towards them as well.
            “Spike made it,” Paw noted somberly. Although everyone was relieved the whole family could be together, they wished it weren’t under such dire circumstances as this.
            “Cheddar Biscuit, you brought the clown-cannon like I asked, right?” Colby turned to her once everyone was present.
            “Of course,’ Cheddar responded as she pulled it out from behind her back. “But you never really explained what we need this for.”
            “...I need you to launch me at the meteor.”
            Cheddar gasped, as did everyone else.
            “Back in my prime, I would’ve been able to fly up there myself,” Colby continued, “but it’s been years, and I know my power isn’t as strong as it used to be, so I need some momentum to go up into the stratosphere. Otherwise… I doubt any of you would survive the heat even if the meteor doesn’t hit the ground.”
            “Colby…” Smooch held her husband’s paws in her own.
            “Don’t try to stop me, Smooch. Please.” Colby gave her a kiss on the forehead. “I need to do this. If I don’t… you know what’ll happen.”
            “I was just going to say that… I believe in you.” Smooch leaned up, kissing him on the lips.
            “So do I.” Scooch nodded.
            “We all believe in you.” Tag went up to Colby, giving him a supportive hug from the side. One by one, the rest of the Barkers joined in as well. They embraced together as one, in the calm before the storm.

            Some time had passed as they waited for the meteor’s imminent arrival, with Spike keeping a close eye on his scanner with the countdown until impact. The waiting felt like it took both forever and an instant at the same time. Hours soon became minutes. Colby looked up at the sky, finally able to see the bright light of the meteor as it approached Earth.
            “Time to face the music.”
            The cannon was aimed, and Colby was ready - but no one else was. They could only watch as their doom got progressively bigger and brighter in the sky. It was a very surreal, yet terrifying experience for all of them.
            “...I can’t lose you, Colby!” Smooch cried as she held tightly onto her husband as her emotions got the better of her. “I just can’t!”
            “I’ll try to survive this, believe me. Just know that no matter what happens, I love you.” Colby rubbed her back lovingly as they embraced. “But if I don’t make it back… you have to promise me you’ll keep living. Even if I can’t be by your side, I need you to keep on going. Go, dog. Go.”
            Smooch shed a tear, reluctantly nodding. In her heart, she knew that he was right. She still had Scooch to take care of, after all. But with everything happening so fast, she began to feel certain regrets welling up inside her. But it was too late for second chances now; she’d hesitated for far too long, and now she felt like in a matter of hours, everything was being taken away from her.
            Suddenly, Colby felt someone tightly hugging his leg. He looked down to see Scooch was heaving heavily as he struggled not to cry.
            “Hey now, c’mon, buddy.” Colby felt his chest trembling at the sound of Scooch’s muffled cries. “Don’t… don’t cry. Remember what I said? Everyone has a destiny. And if this is mine, then-”
            “Screw destiny!” Scooch sobbed, never wanting to let go. “I don’t care about any of that stupid stuff! I just want my dad!”
            “Listen, Scooch,” Colby wiped his own tears as he pet his son’s head. “You gotta be a brave boy, okay? I know you can do it. You’re gonna do great things someday, and I’m always so proud of everything you do. You make me smile every day. Just know that no matter what happens, I’ll never stop loving you. Okay?”
            Scooch’s tears still ran down his cheeks like waterfalls, but he finally nodded reluctantly.
            “It’s now or never, Colby!” Spike interrupted as he called out from nearby, showing him the scanner’s countdown getting lower.
            Colby gently pulled his son away and got into the cannon, taking one last look at his family.
            “I love you,” Smooch said as her shuddered breath deepened, a feeling in the pit of her gut that like this would be the last time she would ever see him. She stood on her tiptoes and rested her paws on Colby’s shoulders, giving him one final kiss goodbye as Cheddar held the pull-cord in one hand.
            “I love you too. I love you both so much.” Colby replied once their kiss had broken. With one last look at her and Scooch, and a nod to Cheddar Biscuit, he disappeared into the cannon.
            After several deep breaths, Cheddar tightly clenched her tear-filled eyes and yanked hard on the string.

            Colby fired straight-upwards out of the cannon towards the fiery meteor that was now entering the Earth’s outer atmosphere, accompanied by the loud honk of a party horn and a blast of rainbow confetti.
            Smooch looked up as Colby disappeared into the sky, leaving her behind.

            “...Go.”

            Now, all anyone could do was wait together. In a matter of minutes, the world could very well end. They could feel the temperature getting noticeably warmer as the meteor neared Earth, the massive burning rock in the sky now too intensely bright to look at directly.
            “Tag,” Scooch turned to his best friend, hugging her tightly. “I know the world is ending, and I really wish I’d told you this sooner, but I just want you to know that I… I… I love you!”
            “I love you too, Scooch!” Tag hugged him back, pressing her lips against his in a sweet but tearful kiss as the sky brightened above them.
            Everyone gathered around them, all embracing each other as one big family as they braced themselves for the end.

            Now having gained the momentum he needed, Colby raised his left fist as he charged his plasma energy up throughout his whole body at full strength. He couldn’t afford to spare a single ounce of power. Rather than getting slower by the pull of gravity as he gained more altitude, Colby was actually flying up faster. And faster. And faster. Until finally, he shot up high into the sky at incredible speed in a bolt of neon green lightning.

            “For a world of Unity…”

            The many wonderful memories Colby had made with Smooch, Scooch, and all the other dogs of Pawston he’d gotten to know over the years flashed through his mind as the sky turned a deep orange. He had no regrets. To Colby, there were few better ways to go than this - to redeem the failures of his past by giving his loved ones a future they deserved.

            “It is my Duty…”

            The meteor eclipsed the sun entirely as it now entered the stratosphere, burning up all the clouds in the sky in a fraction of a second. Colby pulled his left arm back with all his might, using the gathered energy to propel his right arm forward with a firm fist enveloped in a powerful surge of blindingly-bright green plasma. This was the end.
            His swan song.

            “TO FACE… MY… DESTINY!”

            Time seemed to stand perfectly still for a brief moment as Colby’s fist met the burning meteor, making an impact of unquantifiable energy. In a matter of milliseconds, a massive forcefield rippled shockwaves of an entire prism of colors across the entire hemisphere at the point of impact.
            In truth, Colby’s strength alone would not have been enough. Under normal circumstances, the meteor should have completely overwhelmed him, obliterating the Earth and ending all life on it. But, as was common with Colby - or rather, Marcus Colburn - these were not normal circumstances. Fortunately, something strange and mysterious had happened at that exact moment; someone, both very far away yet also in the exact same place, had synchronized so perfectly with Colby that the energy in his DNA had been amplified ten-thousand fold.
            And so, the meteor was successfully launched back into the far reaches of space with a deafening boom that could be heard all across the planet, never to be seen again. The immense blast of the meteor’s deflection shot Colby back down to the Earth far below, and the ocean waves around Ball Island shook as the massive surge of two powerful colliding forces made landfall.
            As his vision faded while he looked up at the bright blue sky, the dog from another universe smiled weakly. Against all odds, he had actually done it. He had successfully stopped the end of the world. But more importantly, he had protected his family.

            ‘Goodbye, Pooches… thank you…’

            Below, the Barkers and the Pooches slowly stood up with shaky knees after the shockwave had knocked them to the ground. Though they were overjoyed the world was safe, there was no time to celebrate.
            “Colby!” Scooch pointed upwards, noticing he was quickly free-falling from the sky towards them. “Everyone, we gotta catch him!”
            The dogs all gathered in a circle as they looked up, reaching their arms out and catching his fall.
            As they gently set him to the ground, their hearts all broke into pieces as it was clear that Smooch’s worst nightmare was coming true.

            Colby was dying.

            His entire right arm was burnt to a furless and blackened crisp. The brown hair on his head was singed, his nose was severely dry and cracked like a desert, and the folds of his floppy ears had all but melted off completely. Tiny jolts of green plasma sparked weakly around his body, getting smaller with each passing second until they dissipated entirely. The glow of the green light in his tag slowly pulsed, as if it signified his weakening heartbeat. His breathing was harsh and raspy as he inhaled in a vain attempt to get any oxygen to his fried lungs. Colby’s once vibrant green eyes were now a completely cloudy and lifeless gray as he was nearly blind, though he could still just barely make out the silhouettes of familiar dogs as they gathered around him and their muffled voices as they spoke.
            “Colby, don’t leave me! Hang on!” The yellow Labrador barely heard Smooch cry out. Even through the strong smell of his own charred flesh, he’d recognize her unmistakably sweet scent anywhere.
            “You’re so… beautiful… you know…?” Colby whispered as he weakly raised his good arm, cupping his palm gently against his wife’s wet cheek.
            “We need to get him to the hospital NOW!” Smooch looked up at the rest of her family in desperation. Colby shook his head slightly, though it caused him great pain.
            “Don’t… no time…” he strained his raspy voice between breaths. “Just… be with me… for a while…”
            Smooch broke down and cried. To spare the younger pups the trauma of what was inevitably coming, Cheddar and Gerald took Yip, Tag, and Scooch away from the horrible scene as she tried to hide tears of her own.
            “Let me go! That’s my Dad!” Scooch cried out, breaking free from Cheddar’s paw as he ran back to his father’s side.
            “I love you, Dad… you can’t die…” the little blue terrier mumbled through his sobs, wishing there was something, anything he could do to save his father.
            “I… love you… too… Scooch…”
            “You’re not allowed to die, Colby… y’hear me?” Smooch wept hysterically as her future of happiness was falling to ruins before her very eyes for the second time in her life. “I still need you. Scooch needs you.”
            “Scooch… will be… okay…” Colby swallowed, his dry lips curling in one last smile, the light in his tag flickering as it weakened. “You both… will. He has the best… most loving mom… in the universe…”
            “Colby, no… stop…”
            As she wept, Colby could feel Smooch’s salty tears dripping on his muzzle.
            “Don’t you cry, please… don’t cry anymore…” His voice got softer and slower as he wiped a drop off her cheek with his thumb. “You’re… the strongest… dog… I know…”
            Colby’s arm fell limp, and his neon green tag light faded to black. In his final moments of life, Colby could hear the ones he loved crying out in anguish.
            But then, for a few short moments, Colby felt an intense flood of heavenly euphoria completely envelop him as a white light enshrouded his entire being. It was a peaceful sense of pure bliss and pleasure unlike any experienced by mortal kind, accompanied by a sound that resembled a beautifully harmonized chord of otherworldly music.

            Then, Colby opened his eyes.

            He took a deep breath in and sat up in a meadow surrounded by a thick and ethereal fog. His pain was completely gone. As he looked around, he saw the edge of a corn field, a slowly-rotating windmill, several free-roaming chickens, and…
            Himself.
            It was like looking into a mirror, and yet Colby could tell that this was no mere reflection. This Colby before him still had no facial hair, as he now did. And while his movements were similar to his own, there were several moments where they deviated from one another.
            He held his paw up to the Colby copy, their palms touching lightly.
            “You’re not me,” they both said simultaneously. “And yet, you are…”
            “Ho-lee shit!”
            They suddenly heard an unfamiliar voice, his thick southern twang breaking through the serene stillness around them.
            “I tell ya, you boys sure put on quite the show down there! Shoot, y’all really packed a wallop on that crusty ol’ boulder!”
            “Sorry, do I know you…?” the other Colby asked as they both stood up together.
            “Well, no, you don’t,” the source of the voice, a blue terrier with a thick blue handlebar mustache, responded back to him before looking expectantly at Colby Pooch.
            “Y-you’re… Kernel,” Colby said, now realizing where he was.
            “Sure am! Nice to finally meet’cha, Colby, it’s an honor. Though I wish it were under… better circumstances.” Kernel shook his paw enthusiastically. “Now that I think of it, addressing the both of you’s gonna get real confusin’ real quick, so how’s about I just call you ‘Colby’, and the other you ‘Barker’?”
            The other Colby nodded in understanding.
            Colby, however, was slightly confused as he turned to his copy.
            “‘Barker’?”
            “I ‘spose there’s lots to explain. But we got all the time in the world now, don’t we?” Kernel smiled as he turned away and headed in the other direction. “Come, walk with me for a while.”
            Seeing as they had nowhere else to go, the Colbys followed.

            “By the way, you boys want some pie?” Kernel asked as he held out a tray with a half-eaten pie in it, its gooey red innards looking like something out of a grotesque horror movie. “Don’t worry, it’s rhubarb.”
            “I’m good, thanks,” the Colbys answered without much hesitation.
            “Suit yerselves,” Kernel shrugged as he dug a fork into it, biting off a big piece. “Y’know, I’ll admit though, I do kinda like this fork idea o’ yers. Makes eatin’ less messy.”
            “Wait… so, that cornfield… the rhubarb patch where Smooch and I first… was that… you?” Colby asked.
            Kernel raised an eyebrow and grinned coyly.
            “Well, can ya blame me fer lookin’ out fer my gal? What can I say, I like to send her little signs from time to time. I been watchin’ you fer a long time, Colby. And I jus’ wanna say, yer a good boy. I’m glad Smooch finally found someone, and I’m even gladder that someone is you.”
Colby sniffled proudly with a bittersweet smile as he finally got Kernel’s blessing.
            “Smooch?” the other yellow Labrador turned and asked Colby. “That’s Sergeant Pooch, right? You ended up with her?”
            “Yeah, of course. Wait, Kernel called you ‘Barker’. Does that mean…?”
            “I was taken in by the Barker family. Been married to Cheddar Biscuit for a little over three years now.” Colby Barker replied. “Which feels a little weird in a way because I’m her husband, but also basically her adoptive brother…”
            “Huh, well I’ll be…” Colby Pooch chuckled softly. “Congratulations.”
            ‘Is that why Cheddar used to feel that way about me?’ he thought. ‘Why she had those dreams about me?’
            “I should explain,” Kernel interrupted, seemingly knowing just what Colby was thinking. “Y’all have been experiencin’ somethin’ I like to call ‘multiversal bleedover’. Those headaches you’ve been gettin’, those ‘deja-vu’ feelin’s outta nowhere, it’s ‘cause yer universes are so dang close that when yer experiencin’ similar sitchy’ations or whatnot, it’s like you two are bumpin’ noggin’s without even knowin’ it! And it’s also why, even with impossibly astronomical odds, your Earths were both gonna get toasted by the same hunk o’ space rock.”
            “I... g-guess that makes sense, sort of. But how do you even know all this in the first place?” Colby Barker asked.
            “Well, I do got a lotta free time in the aether. And souls ain’t exactly got the same Earthly limitations, physically-speakin’,” Kernel answered. “In fact, ever since you came to town, you got me so intrigued that I’ve been checkin’ out other realities every now and again. Includin’ yours.”
            Both Colby’s paused.
            “Now that you mention it, my family… my mom… where are they?” Colby Pooch asked. “N-not that I’m not happy to meet you or anything, I just thought that… I dunno, being the afterlife… I thought I might get to see them again.”
            “Well, as fer yer mom… I reckon she’s around, somewhere.” Kernel looked up, to nowhere in particular. “But I also reckon there’s about seven octillion copies of ya now, give or take. And she can only be in so many places at once, y’know. But just know, she’s always watchin’ over some version of you. Because yer her boy, and she loves you.”
            Both Colby’s smiled, feeling reassured but still wishing they could see her again.
            “And what about… my family?” they asked together.
            Kernel put his paws on his hips and exhaled.
            “Well, the thing about that is… see, yer old family…”
            Colby and Colby quickly grew more anxious the longer Kernel hesitated.
            “...they’re alive, son.”
            The two of them were speechless, for a moment left in sheer disbelief at the news.
            Kernel cleared his throat, continuing on.
            “See, I looked into some thangs. And as it turns out, when you brought every universe back, you were able to bring your family back too. So they’re safe and happy back in your old world, with the original you. They may not be with the ‘Colby’ you, but they’re off livin’ happily ever after with the ‘Marcus’ you. Am I makin’ any sense here?”
            The Colbys fell to their knees.
            “I’m so… so happy to hear that,” they said together with tearful smiles. “Thank you, Kernel. I can rest easy now, knowing they’re alive and happy.”
            “Hm, but what about you?” Kernel asked them, gesturing to the fog around them. “Now you’re both here, at ‘the great farm upstate’.”
            The two looked around for a moment, but looked surprisingly content.
            “I’ll admit, I really wish I could’ve gotten to see Scooch grow up. He’s such a great kid, and I was really looking forward to raising him. Being there for his wedding someday. Seeing my grandkids for the first time.” Colby Pooch sighed. “But… in the end, I don’t regret a single thing. I know he’ll be okay without me eventually, he’s tough. Just like his mom.”
            “Just like his mom. Couldn’t’a said it better myself.” Kernel smirked, resting his large paw on Colby’s shoulder. “That’s a real good answer.”
            “I think I’m gonna miss Brie’s laugh the most,” Colby Barker somberly wiped a tear from his eye. “She’s always so adorable, and just as funny as her mom. But I do hope Cheddar Biscuit finds love again, someday… Brie deserves a dad, even if it can’t be me.”
            “‘Brie’? You have a daughter?” Colby Pooch turned and asked, admittedly feeling a bit jealous.
            “Yeah, she’s the light of my-”
            Just then, a little green paw-print appeared on Colby Barker’s chest and began to glow brightly. Both Colbys let out a stunned gasp at the strange occurrence; Kernel seemed unsurprised, but said nothing as he watched the scene before him with a smirk.
            “...life.”
            “Hey, w-what’s goin’ on with your chest, there?” Colby Pooch asked as he pointed at the marking.
            “I’m not sure. But I… I think I feel… something.” Colby Barker pressed his fingers to the paw-print, feeling a familiar presence. “It’s Brie. I-I think something’s happening. I’m seeing some kind of static. Holy shit, I feel… alive.”
            Colby Barker’s eyes widened as he said this, his presence distorting and stuttering like an old television signal as he continued.
            “I think she’s… reviving me, somehow. She must have inherited my- our plasma powers. I don’t know how, but she might be transferring some energy to me or something.”
            “I didn’t think we could even do that, are you sure?” Colby Pooch asked, somewhat doubtful.
            “I don’t know, but it’s the best guess I have. I don’t know any more than you do.” Colby Barker shrugged.
            “Well, then… I’m… I’m happy for you, Barker.” Colby smiled outwardly, though on the inside he was heartbroken. If only he’d gotten to have a child with Smooch too, he might’ve been given another chance at life as well.
            “...Touch me,” Colby Barker said suddenly, holding out his paw.
            “What?” Colby Pooch asked, visibly confused.
            “Touch palms with me. Just think about it for a second, we’re plasma-based, right? Like what lightning bolts are made out of. Maybe if we make contact, I can transfer some of Brie’s energy to you like an electrical current. You might be able to go back too.”
            “We don’t know if that’ll work.”
            “Come on, you’re already dead. What do you have to lose by trying?” Colby Barker scowled. “Don’t you want to see the Pooches again?”
            “More than anything.”
            “Then just try. And do it fast, I don’t- think I have much time- before I go back.” The other Colby stumbled dizzily, his soul drifting between two planes of existence. “I can feel- my body healing.”
            Colby Pooch hesitated for a moment before finally - and firmly - pressing his palm against Colby Barker’s, feeling a chill coursing down his spine as a jolt of energy surged through his soul like a thunderstrike. In it, he could feel the comforting warmth and pure, wholesome love of Brie Barker - his daughter from another universe, one he could never meet.
            “I can feel it... she really, truly loves you.” Colby Pooch couldn’t help but cry as he was overwhelmed with the strength of their bond. He felt it so vividly, as though he’d experienced every moment of raising Brie himself. With each passing second, he could feel himself feeling more ‘alive’, just like Colby Barker had described.
            “Hey Colby, would ya mind given’ our wife and son a little message from me when you get back?” Kernel asked, chuckling without even waiting for a response. “Tell Scooch that no matter what he does in life, I am so, so proud of him. I always will be. And tell Smooch…tell her that ‘the answer is blowin’ in the wind’. She’ll know what it means.”
            “I’ll tell ‘em, you have my word.” Colby replied.
            “Oh, by the way, boys,” Kernel interjected while he still had the time. “A quick word o’ wisdom before you head on back home. Go out and see the world while you can! Stick yer head outta that car, and really let your tongue flap in the wind! There ain’t nothin’ like it!”
            Both Colbys nodded, taking his words to heart.
            “Thank you for everything, Kernel,” Colby Pooch said. “I’ll always do my best to honor your memory.”
            “I know you will. But don’t forget to honor yourself too, y’know. Don’t be afraid to leave this dusty old dog in the past where he belongs.” Kernel waved. “I’m sure we’ll meet again someday, but I better not see ya fer another 70 years, at least! Oh, and one last thang you always gotta remember!”
            Colby Pooch and Colby Barker were quickly fading away, but not before they heard Kernel’s final words echoing loudly in their heads as they drifted back to their own worlds.
            “GO, DOG! GO!”

            And so it was that Brie Barker had saved not just one Colby that day, but two.

            Colby Pooch suddenly loudly gagged and coughed just before he sat up, taking a deep breath in as if it were his first breath of life. Everyone was still mourning some distance away as they couldn’t bear to be near his body, but they turned to the sudden noise, hardly believing their eyes.
            ‘...Am I…?’
            “Colby? COLBY!” Smooch rushed through the sandy beach back to her husband with Scooch running past her, practically throwing herself onto him with their son sandwiched happily between them.
            “Dad!”
            “How’re you-? Oh, I don’t care ‘bout the how or why, you’re alive!” Smooch blubbered through her tears of joy as she smothered Colby’s face with kisses.
            The Barkers quickly joined in on the hug as well, as soon they were a huge dogpile all affectionately smothering Colby as he tried to regain his breath. Before long, his breaths turned into laughs, and soon they were all laughing with joy.

            ‘I am alive. I’m really alive.’

            It was quite some time before everyone finally gave the Pooches some room to finally breathe. As they watched the golden sun signaling the end of another day as it set over the peaceful ocean horizon, Colby looked down at his healed right paw. He had never been so happy to see that furred paw in all his life as a dog.
            “I wanna go somewhere with you both.”
            “You mean like a road-trip?” Scooch looked up at his dad inquisitively.
            “Exactly like a road-trip. A long one. Anywhere. Everywhere. I wanna see it all. Everything this world has to offer.” Colby looked down at his son and smiled.
            “I would ‘go dog go’ anywhere with you, Colby.” Smooch leaned in and gave him a kiss. “You know that. Always and forever, ‘til the end of the world.”
            “Yeah, that sounds awesome!” Scooch added excitedly.
            Colby looked back over the horizon. He reached for his triangular dog tag hanging from the collar around his neck, rubbing its surface back and forth between his fingers.
            Colby felt the cold metal edges of the as he was deep in thought. He yanked the tag off, looking long and hard at the symbol he held in his paw. The memento of his past.
             As he looked at it, he noticed that the green light it usually emitted was still completely dark. Considering it for a moment, he held out his other paw and tried his hardest to activate his plasma energy. A small crackle, a tiny spark, something.
            Nothing. His powers were completely gone, never to return.
            Then, Colby smiled with absolute relief.
            He pulled his arm back and threw his tag far into the ocean. It sank into the depths below and was lost forever, carrying Colby's message for destiny:

            'Find someone else next time.'

            Smooch looked at him with her mouth open as she was about to say something, but stopped herself when she saw the serene look on Colby’s face. He was finally at peace, ready to leave his past behind him for good. Instead, they stood together in silence for the wordless eulogy of his former life.
            Colby wrapped his arm around Smooch’s waist, sighing with content as he looked back to the horizon of endless possibilities. He thought about how his entire life had led him to here and now.
            “Oh, by the way, Kernel wanted me to tell you something.” Colby finally broke the silence.
            “Kernel?!” Smooch nearly fainted when Colby brought this up out of nowhere.
            “Y-yeah, I met him. Good dog. Anyway, Scooch,” Colby turned to his son. “Your dad Kernel wanted me to tell you that no matter what you do in life, he will always be proud of you. He loves you so much, and he’s always watching over you.”
            Scooch sniffled and hugged Colby’s leg.
            “And Smooch…” Colby continued, turning to her. “Kernel told me to tell you that… ‘the answer is blowin’ in the wind’. He said you’d know what it means?”
            “Oh…” Smooch began to tear up. “Yep, that sounds like him alright. Let me guess, he also gave you this whole road trip idea?”
            “Yeah, how’d you-”
            “Kernel always talked about wanting to travel. Said I should take the Ol’ Yellers on tour, but I was too afraid to. I was too in my own comfort zone. In his final days, Kernel told me he wanted his… remains… to be spread out all over the country. But you’ve seen the urn on the shelf. All this time, I was still just too afraid to let him go. But now, with everythin’ that’s just happened… I think he’s right. It’s time to let go.”
            “I’ll be with you every step of the way, Smooch,” Colby smiled gently as he wrapped his paw around her lower back in support.
            “I know you will, and I love you fer that, Colby. You’ve never once given up on me.”
            Smooch suddenly remembered something from their wedding night, three years ago.
            ‘Please, don’t stop askin’ me for a puppy. I know I want one with you someday. Just… wait for me. Don’t stop trying. Don’t give up on me.’
            “...Colby?”
            “Yeah, Smooch?” Colby asked, tilting his head.
            Then, not wanting Scooch to hear, Smooch lifted up Colby’s ear and very quietly whispered something into it. As she pulled away, Colby’s cheeks immediately turned a bright shade of red.
            “Wait, really? Are you sure? Even now?” he asked.
            “Well not now now, but y’know… tonight.” Smooch couldn’t help but blush a little too at the idea. “And tomorrow night. And every night after that, until I am. Let’s try. I’m ready. I should’a been ready a long time ago.”
            “Ready for what?” Scooch asked, looking up at the in confusion as he felt like he was being left out of some kind of important secret.
            “N-nothing, don’t worry about it, buddy...” Colby replied to his son with a light chuckle before giving             Smooch a tender smooch on the lips. How sweet it was to taste those lips of hers once more.

            “All you need to know is that from now on... everything’s gonna be okay.”", "pools_count": 1, "title": "Love is Lawless - Chapter 10 - All Good Things", "deleted": "f", "public": "t", "mimetype": "image/png", "pagecount": "1", "rating_id": "2", "rating_name": "Adult", "ratings": [ { "content_tag_id": "5", "name": "Strong Violence", "description": "Strong violence, blood, serious injury or death", "rating_id": "2" } ], "submission_type_id": "12", "type_name": "Writing - Document", "guest_block": "f", "friends_only": "f", "comments_count": "1", "views": "158" }